Digital Mobile Telephones and Interference of Ophthalmic Equipment
Eye (2007) 21, 29–32 & 2007 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0950-222X/07 $30.00 www.nature.com/eye 1 1 1 1 2 Digital mobile GS Ang , P Lian ,WSNg, I Whyte and JM Ong CLINICAL STUDY telephones and interference of ophthalmic equipment Abstract Keywords: mobile telephone; cell phone; electromagnetic interference Aim To assess the effect of mobile telephone electromagnetic interference on electronic ophthalmic equipment. Methods Prospective audit with mobile Introduction telephones placed at distances of 3 m, 1 m, and 30 cm from, and in contact with, electronic Mobile telephone bans are widespread in ophthalmic equipment. Any interruption or hospitals in the United Kingdom. Apart from cessation of the function of the ophthalmic being a potential source of irritation, there is a device was assessed with the mobile widely perceived assumption that telephones in standby, and in dialling or electromagnetic interference (EMI) from mobile receiving modes. Any alterations of displayed telephones will affect the function of electronic digital figures or numbers were also assessed. equipment, particularly in the intensive care 1Department of Results A total of 23 electronic ophthalmic setting. However, a systematic review reveals Ophthalmology, Raigmore devices in two hospital ophthalmology very little evidence to suggest that this EMI Hospital, Inverness, UK outpatient departments were evaluated. All six affects most electronic equipment, and even for 2Department of mobile telephones used, and 22 (95.7%) of the the equipment that is affected, interference only Ophthalmology, Norfolk and 1 23 ophthalmic equipment evaluated had the occurs at a distance of less than 1 m. Norwich University Hospital, Conformite´ Europe´ene (CE) mark.
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